The global distribution of depositional rivers on early Mars

Geology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Dickson ◽  
M.P. Lamb ◽  
R.M.E. Williams ◽  
A.T. Hayden ◽  
W.W. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Global Distribution ◽  
Network Activity ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
River Channels ◽  
Sedimentary Deposits ◽  
Source To Sink ◽  
Early Mars ◽  
Valley Networks ◽  
Valley Network

Sedimentary basins are the archives of ancient environmental conditions on planetary surfaces, and on Mars they may contain the best record of surface water and habitable conditions. While erosional valley networks have been mapped, the global distribution of fluvial sedimentary deposits on Mars has been unknown. Here we generated an eight-trillion-pixel global map of Mars using data from the NASA Context Camera (CTX), aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, to perform the first systematic global survey of fluvial ridges—exhumed ancient deposits that have the planform shape of river channels or channel belts, but stand in positive relief due to preferential erosion of neighboring terrain. We used large fluvial ridges (>70 m width) as a conservative proxy for the occurrence of depositional rivers or river-influenced depositional areas. Results showed that fluvial ridges are as much as 100 km long, common across the southern highlands, occur primarily in networks within intercrater plains, and are not confined to impact basins. Ridges were dominantly found in Noachian through Late Hesperian units, consistent with cessation of valley network activity, and occurred downstream from valley networks, indicating regional source-to-sink transport systems. These depositional areas mark a globally distributed class of sedimentary deposits that contain a rich archive of Mars history, including fluvial activity on early Mars.

The Sedimentary Cycle on Early Mars

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott M. McLennan ◽  
John P. Grotzinger ◽  
Joel A. Hurowitz ◽  
Nicholas J. Tosca
Keyword(s):  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Sedimentary Rock ◽  
First Order ◽  
Sedimentary Environments ◽  
Source To Sink ◽  
Rock Record ◽  
Mineral Assemblages ◽  
Sedimentary Cycle ◽  
Early Mars ◽  
Over Time

Two decades of intensive research have demonstrated that early Mars ([Formula: see text]2 Gyr) had an active sedimentary cycle, including well-preserved stratigraphic records, understandable within a source-to-sink framework with remarkable fidelity. This early cycle exhibits first-order similarities to (e.g., facies relationships, groundwater diagenesis, recycling) and first-order differences from (e.g., greater aeolian versus subaqueous processes, basaltic versus granitic provenance, absence of plate tectonics) Earth's record. Mars’ sedimentary record preserves evidence for progressive desiccation and oxidation of the surface over time, but simple models for the nature and evolution of paleoenvironments (e.g., acid Mars, early warm and wet versus late cold and dry) have given way to the view that, similar to Earth, different climate regimes on Mars coexisted on regional scales and evolved on variable timescales, and redox chemistry played a pivotal role. A major accomplishment of Mars exploration has been to demonstrate that surface and subsurface sedimentary environments were both habitable and capable of preserving any biological record. ▪ Mars has an ancient sedimentary rock record with many similarities to but also many differences from Earth's sedimentary rock record. ▪ Mars’ ancient sedimentary cycle shows a general evolution toward more desiccated and oxidized surficial conditions. ▪ Climatic regimes of early Mars were relatively clement but with regional variations leading to different sedimentary mineral assemblages. ▪ Surface and subsurface sedimentary environments on early Mars were habitable and capable of preserving any biological record that may have existed.

scholarly journals Mass contents of natural radioactive elements in the main types of rocks of the Mesozoic sediments of the West-Siberian Plate and their comparative assessment with the contents in the deposits of some sedimentary basins of the former USSR

2020 ◽  
Vol 177 ◽  
pp. 02004
Author(s):  
Viacheslav Turyshev
Keyword(s):  
Western Siberia ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Comparative Assessment ◽  
Radioactive Elements ◽  
The West ◽  
Sedimentary Deposits ◽  
Former Ussr

The average and boundary contents of natural radioactive elements in sandy, aleuritic, argillaceous, mixed and carbonaceous types of sedimentary rocks of the main groups of productive strata of the Jurassic-Cretaceous age of Western Siberia are estimated; a comparison of the obtained values of the contents of radioelements with their contents in sedimentary deposits of some regions of the former USSR is performed.

scholarly journals The fluvial history of Mars

2012 ◽  
Vol 370 (1966) ◽  
pp. 2193-2215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Carr
Keyword(s):  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
River Channels ◽  
Erosion And Deposition ◽  
Running Water ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Outflow Channels ◽  
History Of ◽  
Valley Networks ◽  
River Valleys ◽  
Steep Slopes

River channels and valleys have been observed on several planetary bodies in addition to the Earth. Long sinuous valleys on Venus, our Moon and Jupiter's moon Io are clearly formed by lava, and branching valleys on Saturn's moon Titan may be forming today by rivers of methane. But by far the most dissected body in our Solar System apart from the Earth is Mars. Branching valleys that in plan resemble terrestrial river valleys are common throughout the most ancient landscapes preserved on the planet. Accompanying the valleys are the remains of other indicators of erosion and deposition, such as deltas, alluvial fans and lake beds. There is little reason to doubt that water was the erosive agent and that early in Mars' history, climatic conditions were very different from the present cold conditions and such that, at least episodically, water could flow across the surface. In addition to the branching valley networks, there are large flood features, termed outflow channels. These are similar to, but dwarf, the largest terrestrial flood channels. The consensus is that these channels were also cut by water although there are other possibilities. The outflow channels mostly postdate the valley networks, although most are still very ancient. They appear to have formed at a time when surface conditions were similar to those that prevail today. There is evidence that glacial activity has modified some of the water-worn valleys, particularly in the 30–50° latitude belts, and ice may also be implicated in the formation of geologically recent, seemingly water-worn gullies on steep slopes. Mars also has had a long volcanic history, and long, sinuous lava channels similar to those on the Moon and Venus are common on and around the large volcanoes. These will not, however, be discussed further; the emphasis here is on the effects of running water on the evolution of the surface.

New Evidence of an Ancient Martian Ocean From the Global Distribution of Valley Networks

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 (8) ◽  
pp. 2138-2150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngai-Ham Chan ◽  
J. Taylor Perron ◽  
Jerry X. Mitrovica ◽  
Natalya A. Gomez
Keyword(s):  
Global Distribution ◽  
Valley Networks ◽  
Martian Ocean ◽  
New Evidence

THE POTENTIAL FOR GEOLOGICAL SEQUESTRATION OF CO2 IN AUSTRALIA: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NEW GAS FIELD DEVELOPMENT

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bradshaw ◽  
B.E. Bradshaw ◽  
G. Allinson ◽  
A.J. Rigg ◽  
V. Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Geological Sequestration ◽  
Gas Field ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Source To Sink

Many industries and researchers have been examining ways of substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions. No single method is likely to be a panacea, although some options do show considerable promise. Geological sequestration is one option that utilises mature technology and has the potential to sequester large volumes of CO2. This technology may have particular relevance to some of Australia’s major gas resources that are relatively high in CO2. In Australia, geological sequestration has been the subject of research within the Australian Petroleum Cooperative Research Centre’s GEODISC program. A portfolio of potential geological sequestration sites (sinks) has been identified across all sedimentary basins in Australia, and these have been compared with nearby known or potential CO2 emission sources, including natural gas resources. These sources have been identified by incorporating detailed analysis of the national greenhouse gas emission databases with other publicly available data, a process that resulted in recognition of eight regional emission nodes. An earlier generic economic model for geological sequestration in Australia has been updated to accommodate the changes arising from this process of source to sink matching. Preliminary findings have established the relative attractiveness of potential injection sites through a ranking approach. It includes the ability to accommodate the volumes of sequesterable greenhouse gas emissions predicted for the adjacent region, the costs involved in transport, sequestration and ongoing operations, and a variety of technical geological risks. Some nodes with high volumes of emissions and low sequestration costs clearly appear to be suitable, whilst others with technical and economic issues appear to be problematic. This assessment may require further refinement once findings are completed from the GEODISC site-specific research currently underway.

scholarly journals Provenance of Pennsylvanian–Permian sedimentary rocks associated with the Ancestral Rocky Mountains orogeny in southwestern Laurentia: Implications for continental-scale Laurentian sediment transport systems

Lithosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J. Leary ◽  
Paul Umhoefer ◽  
M. Elliot Smith ◽  
Tyson M. Smith ◽  
Joel E. Saylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Rocky Mountains ◽  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Transport Pathways ◽  
Continental Scale

Abstract The Ancestral Rocky Mountains system consists of a series of basement-cored uplifts and associated sedimentary basins that formed in southwestern Laurentia during Early Pennsylvanian–middle Permian time. This system was originally recognized by aprons of coarse, arkosic sandstone and conglomerate within the Paradox, Eagle, and Denver Basins, which surround the Front Range and Uncompahgre basement uplifts. However, substantial portions of Ancestral Rocky Mountain–adjacent basins are filled with carbonate or fine-grained quartzose material that is distinct from proximal arkosic rocks, and detrital zircon data from basins adjacent to the Ancestral Rocky Mountains have been interpreted to indicate that a substantial proportion of their clastic sediment was sourced from the Appalachian and/or Arctic orogenic belts and transported over long distances across Laurentia into Ancestral Rocky Mountain basins. In this study, we present new U-Pb detrital zircon data from 72 samples from strata within the Denver Basin, Eagle Basin, Paradox Basin, northern Arizona shelf, Pedregosa Basin, and Keeler–Lone Pine Basin spanning ∼50 m.y. and compare these to published data from 241 samples from across Laurentia. Traditional visual comparison and inverse modeling methods map sediment transport pathways within the Ancestral Rocky Mountains system and indicate that proximal basins were filled with detritus eroded from nearby basement uplifts, whereas distal portions of these basins were filled with a mix of local sediment and sediment derived from marginal Laurentian sources including the Arctic Ellesmerian orogen and possibly the northern Appalachian orogen. This sediment was transported to southwestern Laurentia via a ca. 2,000-km-long longshore and aeolian system analogous to the modern Namibian coast. Deformation of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains slowed in Permian time, reducing basinal accommodation and allowing marginal clastic sources to overwhelm the system.

scholarly journals Implementation and testing of routing algorithms in the distributed Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning model for mountainous catchments

2013 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Li ◽  
Stein Beldring ◽  
Chong-Yu Xu
Keyword(s):  
Routing Algorithm ◽  
Routing Algorithms ◽  
Distributed Model ◽  
River Channels ◽  
Distributed Models ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Source To Sink ◽  
Mountainous Catchments ◽  
Southern Norway ◽  
Hbv Model

The main purpose of this study was to implement and test routing algorithms in the distributed Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV) model with the emphasis of obtaining a most suitable routing algorithm for large mountainous catchments. Two routing algorithms were built into the grid-based HBV model and tested on the Losna (11,213 km2) and the Norsfoss (18,932 km2) catchments in central southern Norway. In the first algorithm, runoff is first routed from cell to cell and hydrographs are re-calculated at each cell, and then runoff is routed by the Muskingum–Cunge method in river channels. The second algorithm is a source-to-sink method, which routes runoff of all cells to the catchment outlet as a function of local slope and a calibrated velocity parameter. The routing approaches were compared at different spatial resolutions (i.e. 1, 5 and 10 km) in daily streamflow simulation. Additionally, the elevation band-based semi-distributed model was also compared with the distributed models. The results show that the distributed HBV models are able to perform better than the elevation band-based model, and hillslope routing is crucial in the mountainous catchments. However, incorporating the Muskingum–Cunge channel routing does not add value to the simulation of daily runoff in the mountainous catchments.

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